Virtual reality simulation specialist Vrai launches new US base in Florida

Virtual reality simulation specialist Vrai is set to open a new base in Florida on the back of a multimillion-pound investment.

The company, which has bases at Newcastle Helix and in Dublin, provides performance data systems in simulation training and works with organisations in defence and security, civil aviation and energy generation. Its clients include the Irish Defence Forces, the Royal Air Force, Orsted, Amazon Web Services and Samsung Electronics.

Now Vrai’s team of 25 is poised to double on the back of a £4.2m investment round, which will also be used to open its first US office in Orlando, Florida.

Vrai, which plans to triple annual revenues from €5m to €15m over the next three years, will be creating up to 10 high value jobs in its first year in Orlando, including business development and sales, customer solutions engineers, data engineers and software developers, as well as relocating some senior leadership to show commitment to the market.

The company said it is seen as one of the niche leaders in the simulation data space in Europe, and is now looking to bring its cutting edge products to the US market. It has settled on Orlando for its US base because the state is the global hub for simulation and training with the National Centre for Simulation based there, of which Vrai has been a member since 2017. The centre has simulation end users such as the US Army, Air Force and Navy, industry and research community working together on over $6bn worth of contracts annually.

The firm’s initial office will be located in Research Park, next to the University of Central Florida and in the heart of global hub of simulation end users, companies and research community. VRAI’s first three local contractors are all US military veterans with decades of experience in simulation.